Which kind of exercise would be good when not completely recovered?

[LexieA]

I feel better in some ways. But I still get tired and I still have some stressful people in my life. I think I'm in this bad cycle and I'm wondering what could break me out of it. What I used to like, light running, cycling, yoga, pilates, light basketball just for fun - even by myself is good, hiking or just goofing around at the park and going on the swings and things. I don't do ANY of those things now.

Did or does exercise help anyone here when still not totally to grips with everything? I'm afraid to over do it but maybe it will give me more energy. And I used to do a lot of those things intensely. I'm afraid I'll feel bad too because I'll realize how weak I've gotten. But then even the greatest athletes have injuries and stuff happens and they just have to deal with it.

If I'm starting from nothing do you think it would be better to just do a small amount every other day or not even that much?

[kareng]

Maybe some gentle or beginners slow flow yoga?  Something that will move slowly

[tessa25]

I do light weights at the gym. Will increase weight when I get better.

 

[icelandgirl]

I walk and do yoga.  I started off slow, but was able to increase it as I felt better.  They are still my 2 favorite ways to exercise.

[LexieA]

Thanks kareng. Yoga is something I've always really loved and I'm pretty sure I'll feel better doing it.  I like the flowy kind too, it's almost like a meditation. Slowly sounds good to me. I could put on some quiet music too or do a guided one.

Light weights is a nice idea too tessa. It's like doing the things I did before only at a greatly reduced level. Thank you, that's a really good suggestion. It doesn't have to be all or nothing after all. And it all adds up in a positive way.

I like both of those icelandgirl. Walking is great for the mind too which I need pretty badly. And as you say you can just pace yourself till you feel like doing more. I really need to be out in the fresh air more too.

Thanks, those are all great ideas! I think I'll start in the morning and take a short walk and then find my yoga stuff and just have a go at some of the easier movements. It would be such a positive way to start off the day.

[dopaminegirl]

I love light yoga when I'm recovering from a glutening. I understand how hard it is to get back into exercise when you're just beginning to recover. 

I find that yoga engages my muscles in a pleasant and non stressful way and it definitely helps with the aches I usually encounter post-glutening. I try to walk as much as possible, take the stairs. Exercise (as long as you're not overdoing it) is anti-inflammatory, so any bit you can do is going to help you feel better faster. 

Remember those endorphins too!  Working your muscles will give you a mental boost as well. 

With regards to realizing how weak you've gotten, I have two things to say:

1. I had this problem too. I went from strong and muscular to pretty feeble over the course of getting diagnosed because I never had the energy to exercise. Once I started exercising I was disappointed to see how much ground I had lost, but I also knew that I had been strong before, and that I'd be able to get there again. I'd struggle through a workout or encounter an exercise I couldn't do and just remind myself that I'd get there eventually. 

2. Don't think of yourself as weak. You just had to spend a fair amount of time being strong in other places (mentally, emotionally) while you were getting diagnosed/coming to terms/coping with this disease. You are strong. You've had to face a special kind of adversity that many people never encounter. Remember that strength, and use it to work on getting yourself healthy again. It will be worth it. 

[eers03]

I too enjoyed jogging and being moderately active prior to diagnosis.  My weight decreased and I became rather weak around the time of diagnosis and even got to a place where I couldn't really work out at all.

For me, I was drastically underweight.  I chose a weight goal, (170) @ 5'11' and used MyFitnessPal, the iphone app, to help me track my daily intake until I had reached my weight goal.  Then, my focus became turning it into the right kind of weight. I gained a pound and a half per week from 139 lbs over the course of one year by eating about 3,000 calories per day.  

My workouts started getting better because I was getting the calories and nutrients necessary - all gluten free, too.  So my suggestion is this - listen to your body and dont worry at first as much about the weights, it will come to you.  Start by going through the motions and movements.  Use your body weight or very light weights.  Give yourself time and dont go all in with a commitment that isn't manageable.  Over time, you'll get back to it.  I did and you can too.  Good luck.